Beriah Green [1795-1874]

Things For All Men To Do.

The following few paragraphs, below,
form the opening portion of a discourse by Beriah Green, Jr. [1795-1874]. A
graduate of Middlebury College, in Vermont, Green studied for the ministry at
Andover Seminary. After a dozen years as professor at Western Reserve College,
Hudson, Ohio, Green became the president of the Oneida Institute in Whitesboro,
New York, a manual labor college founded in 1829 by Presbyterians. Rev. Green
accepted that post on condition that he could advocate for the immediate end of
slavery and could also accept African Americans as students at the school. A
number of prominent black leaders, men such as Henry Highland Garnet,
were educated at Oneida during Green’s tenure.

In
the following address, delivered on a Sunday evening, July 17, 1836, in the
Presbyterian church at Whitesboro, New York, Rev. Green delivered a powerful
call to end the institution of slavery, under the title of “Things for Northern
Men to Do.” Since that time, the intervening years have seen a great deal of
turmoil and change in our nation. Yet Green’s message from the text of Jeremiah
7 remains disturbingly appropriate even today. Where he railed against racial
slavery, we now see abortion, pornography, sexual slavery, and all manner of
addictions running rampant across our nation. “Crimes of all sorts and sizes we
are in the habit of committing.” The sins of a former era and those of our own
time are linked by a common thread, one which treats men and women made in the
image of God as mere objects to satisfy our lusts. What can we as Christians
do? Are we powerless?

Rev.
Green offers his understanding of the Scriptural imperative:—

“Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend
your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust
ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord,
the temple of the Lord are these. For if ye throughly amend your ways and your
doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; if ye
oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent
blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: then will I
cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for
ever and ever. — Jeremiah 7:3-7, KJV.

“The
general sentiment among the Hebrews, with which Jeremiah had almost alone to
content, is clearly indicated by a shocking assertion, which they were wont to
throw into the face of Jeremiah. Crimes of all sorts and sizes they were in the
habit of committing; and then, reeking with corruption and red with blood, of
coming and standing before God in His temple, to insult Him with the
declaration, that they “were
delivered to do all such abominations.” Things had taken such a
shape and posture, that they could do no better than to violate the most sacred
relations, and break the strongest ties which bound them to heaven and earth.
They were connected with a system of abominations which they could not
dissolve, and from which they could not break away. With the different parts of
this system, the fibres of society had been intertwisted. It was supported by
confirmed usages and venerated institutions. What hazards must they not
encounter, what risks must they not run, in opposing the sentiment which
generally prevailed around them! They thought it better to go with the
multitude to do evil,
than incur popular odium in resisting it. They could not keep their character
and retain their influence, without taking a share in popular iniquity. Their
wickedness was a matter of necessity. Still they could not refuse to see that
it was driving their country to fearful extremities. Ruin stared them in the
face. What could they do? On the one hand, driven by such strong necessities to
sin; and on the other, exposed to such exterminating judgments for their
iniquities!

“Just
here the prophet met them. The difficulties in which they were involved, and
the dangers to which they were exposed, they owed to themselves. And if they
stoutly persevered in the crooked ways they had so rashly trodden, they were
undone. Nothing would then save them from the dishonored graves, which their
own hands had been so long employed in digging. Yet they need not perish. If
they would avoid presumption, they might escape despair. They might not charge
the blame of their iniquities on God. They might not allege, that “they were
delivered to do the abominations” they were guilty of. So long as they did so,
their repentance and salvation were impossible. The work, which demanded their
attention, lay directly before them. This done, and all their perplexities, and
difficulties, and embarrassments would instantly vanish. This done,
destruction, with its open jaws now ready to devour them, would at once flee
away. This done, and benignant heaven would pour upon them the choicest, most
enduring benefits. . . .”

Words to Live By:
Salvation belongs to the Lord (Ps. 3:8). The gospel of Jesus
Christ is powerful, even to the bringing down of kingdoms and powers raised
against it. May the Lord’s people first repent of their sins, and then,
humbled, may we come before the throne of grace night and day, seeking the
Lord’s mercy and grace upon a people rushing headlong into destruction.

Lutheran

Presbyterian

About Me

Retired. Reformed and Presbyterian by background, but dedicated to the Anglican Prayerbook with degrees from Presbyterian and Episcopal seminaries. Informed by both traditions. Not giving up the 1662 BCP for the Presbyterians and not giving up the Westminster Standards for the Anglicans.